Missing Something
by HG59
Summary: Rena wanted to die. Her desire was hindered when something unexpectedly happened and an angel graced her with two conditions: find a certain soul and protect a group of loners. What she didn't expect to find was a tragic love. A story of...(complete summary inside) OCxMukuro
1. Prologue

Missing Something

**Summary: **Rena wanted to die. Her desire was hindered when something unexpectedly happened and an angle graced her with two conditions: find a certain soul and protect a group of loners. What she didn't expect to find was a tragic love. A story of pursuing incomplete pieces, where our tragic heroine must guide a group of Kokuyo misfits through life and where everything just goes wrong wrong wrong. OCxMukuro

* * *

******Hey guys! Here's a new story that I had in mind for a looooong time. This is my first time writing about an OC, so be nice? *crosses fingers* So far, I have already thought out a few chapters and the beginning plot so far. It is a dark fic because, I mean, this is Mukuro's life, of course it'll be dark. Either way, I love this idea and I hope you guys like it too! (Oh, and I don't have a beta and don't own Katekyo. Hope you guys don't mind). **

* * *

[Prologue]

She wanted something.

She wanted that certain feeling where her head would ache and her body would scream in pain. That certain feeling she got when she would run, out of breath, and on the verge of passing out excited her. Or that numbing mist in her mind when she would run, and she felt like she couldn't breathe anymore, and that there wasn't enough oxygen reaching her head. Or that empty pit in her stomach when she would wait for her next meal; it's not like she does it on 'purpose', she proclaimed. She just wanted to experience her body's pain when she's like that. Or that feeling when a sharp pain would reach her joints, and every time she moved it would hurt, but not enough.

Not enough.

Her body was easy to read; the paling of her cheeks, hollowness of the area around her eyes, and the feeling like she's losing weight, all in the wrong way, felt…like she was _alive_. Like she had to make some effort to _keep_ herself _alive_ for the sake of _living_.

Yeah, that's what she liked.

And it wasn't like she inflicted marks upon herself. 'No, it was only by accident', she swore. But when she did get hurt, either by a paper cut or something more, she would stare. She stared at it, wondering what's going on at the microscopic level, wondering if this certain mark would scar, calmly staring like her life wasn't in danger when sometimes it might be.

'Was this small little cut enough to kill her?

No,' she concluded.

And now she had a word for what she wanted.

It was neither a succor she desired, nor the cessation of her unfortunate luck. It was something that everything so far had brought her.

Yeah, that's what she wanted; _**pain**_.

She wanted this inflicted upon herself daily, and just thinking of this would make her go crazy. She knew that this wasn't what a normal person would think (_should think_), meaning that she wasn't normal at all, and that she was _different_.

She willingly dyed her hair the darkest black she could find, just darkening and darkening it the darkest it could be. She purposely stayed out of the sun to create the pale complexion that she oh-so wanted so badly. She applied either a dark red or soft pink lipstick to her lips and matching blush on her cheeks to create the alluring 'Snow White' look she wanted. She kept her hair long and straight, and bold red nails neatly long.

She wanted to appear like a real-life Japanese doll, a pale and perfect doll that would fit in the old age of samurais and genshi. She wanted to appear perfect, charming, untouchable, fragile, mysterious, and deadly all at the same time.

But what she also wanted was what any normal (if you consider her _normal_) girl would want: **love**.

She wanted to be love in a way normal people loved, even to the point where it went to more extremes. She wanted to be tied up and teasingly tortured by her love one, or ruthlessly noticed by him, both suffocating under the amount of love they have for each other.

This physical, emotional, and psychological love was her desire; she was positive a love like that could give her the feeling she longed for. The feelings of loving, being loved, and feeling alive were all she ever wanted.

Yeah, all she ever wanted.

Now if only she could find that someone who shares her views.

* * *

**Oh, and this is only the prologue! The storyline starts next! Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Okay, the prologue may sound creepy but there's a whole back story to it, I promise! Now I present to you the first chapter! Please review and tell me what you think, I would love to know (: Oh and the image next to the above summary is my OC Rena. When I actually buy a tablet sometime in the future, I'll draw her but for now that picture is fine :P****  
**

* * *

[1- The Fateful Encounter]

'I met him in the most beautiful way possible,' she said dreamily.

She was in her homeland of Italy, in the deep and dangerous underground world that was known as the Mafia. No, she was not scared; she _wanted_ to feel scared.

She was sitting on her knees in a rather large and traditionally opulent room, calves screaming in pain from the extent of sitting in that position for over an hour, and tending to the many dodgy men surrounding her with her co-workers. Her work wasn't really that difficult; pouring glass after glass, talking to the men that she would never see again, and keeping that mysterious and flirty smile on her plump lips pleased everyone. She was indifferent to her job, as long as she was the way she wanted to be: a pale Japanese beauty.

That all changed one night.

First, she heard the screams and when she turned her sight toward the sound, blood splashed in her face, blocking her vision. She froze and stared at the gruesome sight in front of her: her boss, a hefty and big-boned man with an infamous reputation, was slashed in half. Not the simple cut to the side, but no, cut in a straight half. People ran to the blocked doors and shrieked in agony as they watch others brutally murdered in front of their tainted eyes. The carpeted floor was soaked with mixed blood and the bottom of her exquisite kimono was soon tainted with the filth.

Then she saw them. Three young boys wearing bloodstain clothes (and not much older than her dead little brother, she noted) were attacking the adults and she watched. She watched as one of them (a young boy with a (once) white beanie) threw two red yoyos around; then she realized that the victims were hit with poison needles. She saw another boy, a dirty blonde (she later found out that his hair was a lighter color, and it was just the dirt that made it dark) who transformed into different types of animals and pulverized victims near him ('how uncivil' she commented one day, only to be greeted with shouts and snarls, proving her point).

Then the last boy, no, young _**man**_ she saw was standing still, smirking. A dark bluenette in a semi-white shirt and shorts was holding a trident, and he only stood there as the victims around him were cringing and screaming in agony. '_Illisions…?_' she recalled. She had seen them before (actually, many times before), and had enough knowledge to know that the current images only affected those he targeted; she was grateful for that.

After having blood splatter in front of him from his last victim, he slowly faced her way. At first, she was confused. '_Why is he staring at me?_' she thought.

'_Because you are not afraid._' Her eyes widened and seconds later she grinned.

She had let her guard down for a moment and he had entered her mind. Clever little guy, she thought. Of course she was afraid. Her heart was pulsing through her veins at an incredible speed, sweat was forming on her palms, and her face was paling by the second. Their eyes held onto each other as it hit her.

'_This is you, isn't it?_' he only chuckled and gracefully walked to her spot. She hadn't budged an inch from her seat since the massacre started.

He observed her with a confident but wary stare, but as he neared closer to her his expression went blank. Then his eyebrows dipped in the middle for a second before he smirked. '_This girl...how intriguing._' She noticed that his two friends were beside him.

"She can't see my illusions," and his friends gave a look of disbelief. Their wariness and uncertainty increased the tension in the room. '_What?_' his companions thought. '_How can that be? No one is able to live after seeing his illusions. She should be dead by now!_'

Silence as the information sunk in.

"Who ARE you?" He continued to stare at her before the blonde jumped in. "Are you part of the Estraneo family?!" he sneered.

She chuckled in disdain and waved her hand at the boy. "Don't assume I'm from the Estraneo family just because I'm working for them," she replied. "I'm sure the wretches you guys recently killed were picked off the streets, while I graciously accepted this job for my own benefit."

'…_She evaded my question. What a way with words._' The bluenette smirked. "Answer my demand."

She stood up and smiled. "Pardon my manners, I haven't introduced myself yet." She politely bowed, straightened her back, and held out her hand. "My name is Wakahisa Rena. A pleasure to meet you." He glanced at her face. His hetrochromic eyes met an unflinching shallow sea blue, twinkling with delight.

'_Kufufu, she would be useful to me._'

He nodded and firmly grasp her hand, his smile widening.

"Ambrogio. A pleasure."

(oOoOo)

In a few hours the Estraneo Famiglia was completely destroyed, and no longer existed.

It wasn't until a few years later when she realized that at that time she had just turned 15, and he was only 9.

* * *

**Ooooo yeah, forgot to mention the slight age difference. Eh, oh well, at least she's not 30 years older than him :P And the names will be explain in the next chapter.**

**Please review! I'll update next weekend since I already have it done (and that's early for me!). Oh, and it's my birthday too XD Gotta love birthdays.**

**Edit: Okay, 30 years may be exaggerating it...I was just giving a number where a relationship may seem a little force. But 6 years! That's not THAT bad...**


	3. Chapter 2

[2- Changes, The Feelings She Had]

_The aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air as the oven door was open. A fairly young brunette with bright blue eyes hummed to herself as she took the tray out and prepared them for her family. Sitting at the kitchen counter, a blonde little girl with the same eyes watched. A feeling of warmth spread over her as she observed the delicate way her mother arranged the cookies and poured the milk. The mother noticed and smiled._

"Why don't you join your father and brother in the living room? I'll be right over with the snacks."

_With a nod, the girl left and entered a dimmed room. A lamp was on but most of the light came from the fire crackling in the fireplace. Hushed whispers led her eyes to two hunched figures over a book, the smaller in the larger one's lap. Shadows danced across their delighted expressions and the girl smiled to herself. That same warm feeling filled her up as she silently watched the precious father-son moment that was happening._

_Two pairs of warm brown eyes glanced up. "_-, what are you doing over there? Come over and join us,_" a deep voice invited. His son, the opposite of his sister with his father's eyes and mother's brown hair, grinned. "_Yeah sis, hurry up! Dad was getting to the good part!_" His father lightly ruffled his son's head. The little girl ran over and placed herself next to her brother in the wide lap._

_The large book in front of her had a cover made of leather. The worn out pages sporting the occasional tear, the binding slightly falling apart, and the gold letters saying _'Close to the End: A Theory on Death and the Afterlife'_ revealed it all. It was her parents' favorite study tool._

_Her mother walked in with a huge array of cookies and four glasses of milk before she seated herself nearby. Between looking at the eye contact her parents lovingly gave each other and her brother's lively expression, the girl smiled again. The warm tingling sensation she felt before had returned again. Spending quality time with her family was a blessing to her and she enjoyed every moment of it._

_This was why she loved evenings like this._

* * *

The lanky quiet boy was named Orazio, meaning 'has good eyesight' ("Your parents sure named you well") and the blonde kid was named Flavio, meaning 'yellow haired' ("Very creative parents you have there," she slightly teased both of them, knowing fully well that any mention of their past lives was taboo. They stayed silent).

And Ambrogio. Oh _**Ambrogio**_. His name meant 'immortal' and it fitted him well with his new ability. She didn't tease him about it, and he never questioned her foreign name, assuming that her interest was fixated on an Asian culture (and he assumed it was a fixation because there was _no way_ she was fully, even _partly_, Asian. He just _knew_).

And that was the problem and solution: her fixation.

A few weeks into their 'we're-free-from-the-Estraneo-Famiglia-forever' trip, she suddenly had a grand idea. An idea that set the main plot up.

It started out when she was teasing them (excluding Ambrogio) about their names. Ambrogio was off to the side reading a book, Orazio was silent (as usual), and Flavio was arguing with Rena about name-stupidity.

"MY name is stupid?! Look at yours! Watamisa, or whatever it was!" Her piercing blue eyes narrowed and a colorfully designed red fan matching her kimono (she saved the kimonos made of finer materials for special occasions) covered her lower face. The combination of red below blue sent a slight tingle down his spine.

He's such a child, she thought. But then again, they all were.

"Since your puny brain couldn't possibly remember it, my surname is Wakahisa and it means 'forever young'. It's not like your given name is special, FLAVIO."

"Woooww, such a fitting name," he mocked, imitating her previous teasing, ignoring her insult, and not knowing that his words meant so much more than it seemed. "And what was your first name again? Whena?"

"It's Rena for your information, meaning 'reborn' in Japanese." Her posture lifted up as her idea came to her. Yes, this idea. Why didn't she think of it before? **It was perfect**.

A wicked smile spread along her face and she turned her attention to all three guys.

"Hey, do you want to change your names?" The interesting topic caught the other two ex-mafiosos' ears.

"Why should we?" Orazio replied blandly. "It's not like anyone else would know it other than us four. There's no need to change it." Ambrogio silently watched their interaction while Rena chuckled.

"Exactly. To the current world, YOU are nobodies. You're all just little savage barbarians trying to survive in this cruel world. So that's the gist. Nobody knows you, so you can become anyone you wish to be! No one has to know your true names. You can start anew, with different names and backgrounds, similar to me. I mean, I AM fluent in Japanese after three years of learning!"

'_In secret_' she added in her mind. This part about her past she would never tell them now. "You are young and your brains are still growing; learning Japanese would probably take one to two years instead of three."

"That sounds stupid, byon!" An icy blue glare shut him up. Orazio was mumbling to himself, nodding and agreeing with her. Finally, the voice she was waiting for spoke.

"Oya Rena, do you really think we could do that? Create a new identity?" She stared into his hetreochrome eyes and her voice replied with confidence.

"Yes. I'll arrange all the paperwork and handle the IDs."

With a wave of his hand, he returned back to his novel.

"Then so be it." Her eyes gleamed.

"Yes

.

.

.

Mukuro."

* * *

_These memories kept haunting her._

_A horrible memory of screams and pain, just pain, and dark rooms. _

_Lots of strict commands coming from a voice she knew very much, a voice she grew up knowing. _

_A horrible cold table with drills and scalpels and anesthetics and sleeping gas and more. _

_It was only these memories... these memories that she wanted to forget but never could._

_The only way to forget is to die, and __**she did**__._

* * *

**A/N (again): Yes, that missing piece when the little boy said "-, what are..." was not a mistake. I wanted to do multiple -, but FFN wouldn't let me. That space was meant to be blank/missing. I'll try and update the next chapter asap!**


	4. Chapter 3

Missing Something

[3- And They Bond]

The year she experienced with him and his two friends were...rowdy. They wandered around, sheltering in hovels and eating whatever they could steal or what she would offer to them ('You guys are lucky I'm being so generous,' she said, but inside she was enjoying the control and superiority she had over them).

There was still money left over from her previous occupations, but she used it sparingly and not on them. That stash was only for emergencies and their well-beings were not her concern. Plus she has another job they didn't know, but that's a story for later.

Rena had never intended for her month long job to end up with her babysitting three ex-Mafiosos. She wasn't sure if they were all destined to have their fates tied together, but there was this nagging feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. There was something…special about those three. She knew that they would enter a journey of hardships, and that they would need a mentor. These three were too young to do anything by themselves now, and they needed a guidance to lead them.

Because they intended to hide from the public, the young group couldn't stay in one place for long. This meant that they traveled quiet a lot through the Italian countryside and cities, staying in whatever shelter they could find. Their frequent stays were in the churches of that current town or city, which were always open to the homeless and poor travelers. Like a soup kitchen, the sacred temples provided not only wonderful meals but also temporary (and very clean) beds. Not only did this opportunity allowed them to hone their deceptive skills, but also to witness more cruelty in the world aside from the Estraneo.

It was through this frugal and poor lifestyle that the group saw the other side. In a world masked by wealthy families and lavish lives, the other side revealed the corruption and sins present in unattended societies. Their views on the world grew twisted, which only led them to live a dog-eat-dog lifestyle, and finding ways and causing trouble to benefit themselves was for the better.

Their short time spent together was only a test to observe each other's skill. Each had their own view on the others, and each treated the others in their own way. Among the young three males was a complex form of camaraderie between savior and rescues, leader and loyal subordinates, and most importantly 'friends'.

As for their relationship around Rena it was a mixture of a tutor and students, and a watcher and the watched. One thing that the three young boys noticed about their companion was that she was secretive. She always chose to say the roundabout words of her meaning, and her ability to deflect the boys' new powers motivated them to try and outwit her.

For the time being, they never could.

* * *

"This kind of life is unfit for a lady like me," she sneered, but she still followed them around the partly empty town. It was the day of the annual town festival in their temporary town, and the group decided to use this chance to enjoy the occasion. They were hidden underneath Rena's illusion so to the public they look like an Italian teenage girl with her younger brothers.

"Get use to it! Weren't you already living like a bum before you met us?" Ken retorted, annoyed with her complaints.

"Well, I cannot help myself. I _was_ living an eloquently pleasant life before I was force to take other means and work in that lowly place." This earned a raised eyebrow from Chikusa and a suspicious look from Mukuro.

Even though they have been wandering around together for a month, everyone was still wary of each other. That time was only used to gauge everyone's actions and motives. The boys couldn't trust anyone after what they experienced with the Estraneo, and the only close bond present was between Chikusa and Ken.

"What do you mean-"

A trumpet from their left cut Chikusa off, and cheers were heard as the festival began.

"The festival is about to start," Rena obviously stated. "This is the perfect time to find whatever houses that are unoccupied and freshen ourselves up." Her figure soon disappeared into one of the nicer looking homes. The three boys silently agreed and they too separately left to use and steal whatever they could from the unoccupied houses.

They never visited the same homes together for the purpose of limiting their presence, and they _never_ followed after Rena. Yes, they wanted to give her some privacy but they also didn't want her to notice the hidden scars from _them_. The lingering feeling of hands touching their body traumatized them to be self-conscious of the physical proof.

Additionally, they didn't want to know what she did in those houses. One time she entered a home with people inside. They heard horrifying screams and she exited with no tainted evidence of the deed. The next morning the newspaper headlines read '_Family of Six Brutally Murdered. No Suspects Found._' While they were curious of her killing method, they didn't want to tread on a forbidden subject.

One thing they definitely questioned about Rena, but never asked, was her fighting style. From their first meeting, they knew that she had previous illusion block training. Was she an illusionist like Mukuro? A physical hand-to-hand fighter? A gun wielder? Or maybe a dagger master? They hadn't asked yet. They weren't afraid at all, but they didn't want their vivid imaginations of the endless possibilities to disappoint them. After all, they were still children, and weren't children allowed to dream?

So they kept silent.

* * *

An hour or so after their split-up, Ken exited the home and his eyes glanced around, not detecting his group. His sensitive hearing picked up the silence in the homes that they entered and once confirming that they were not in the area, he approached the cheering crowd.

It was a breezy autumn day, with the sun partly hidden by clouds and the cool wisp of breaths seen through open mouths. The opening parade had long ended and everyone was strolling from booth to booth of mini games and delicious snacks, families laughing and friends enjoying themselves. Little children strayed not too far from their parents' protective eyes as they dodged the many legs of wandering people.

It was such a joyous day, and Ken felt…_so out of place_. You would've never guess that he was locked up and experimented on just a few weeks ago. All traces of bruises disappeared and it was just a matter of time before their concealed scars heal. The only evidences of the Estraneo's clandestine actions were their memories, their own experiences, and their distinctive physical marks. Mukuro has a red orb in his right eye socket, Chikusa has a barcode on his left cheek, and he has a huge scar horizontally across his face. These distinguishing disfigurements were permanent reminders of what they went through.

He shoved his cold hands into his jacket as an icy breeze blew by. _'…so unhygienic…'_ his sensitive hearing perceived and, like a dog, he perked up his head to hear better. The only person that could say that was…the clean freak. Of course, who else would say that on a day like this?

With ears exposed the blonde maneuvered through the merry mass, shrinking away from them ever so often. He wasn't use to this…_cheerfulness_. He just _wasn't_. It was too soon for him to be exposed to this when he hadn't felt it in _so long_.

"Kufufu, you found us." Ken's eyes met a disturbing sight. A fearful and wary expression covered Chikusa's features, and his eyes widened when he saw his blonde friend. Their 'savior' was smirking at him and Rena was nowhere in sight.

"Nice of you to join us."

"W-what did you do to Chikusa?!" _'I knew we couldn't trust these strangers!'_

The bluenette chuckled. "I don't know what you're talking about. We were innocently chatting until you showed up." Chikusa's lips formed a thin line and a tint of red covered his cheeks. The blonde's thoughts rapidly processed.

'_There was no way that he's telling the truth. Chikusa looked as scared as a mouse cornered by a hungry cat! _

Maybe it was a parental canine instinct for him to care for the glasses boy since they knew each other for a longer period, but he found himself standing in front of his friend and fuming with aggression.

"I don't believe you! What really happened?!"

The glass-wearing boy held him back. "Wait he didn't do anything! Really!"

Ken eyed his companion. "Really?"

"Really."

"Tch, and I wanted to beat his little scrawny ass up."

The echo of clapping interrupted. "What a nice show of loyalty between you two." Mukuro's hands reached behind his back and Ken, assuming it was his trident, tensed up.

"Kufufu." The occupied hands reemerged with shiny apples and seeing no harm, the dog relaxed a bit.

"He was just trying to get some apples for us to eat, but he was injured by a loose nail. I was just shaken up from seeing the blood. That's all."

Then Ken looked closer and saw a thin trail of red inching down the blunette's arm. _'Chikusa still isn't accustom to seeing blood after the experiments. It was all a misunderstanding...' _Embarrassed, Ken muttered an inaudible apology.

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you over the noise of cheering." The scarlet in the accuser's face turned to anger.

"I already said it, so I don't need to repeat myself. Maybe if your head wasn't a pineapple then you could hear better!"

An anime-ish mark appeared on the illusionist's head. "Excuse me? Is this how you treat your provider after he risked his life to feed you?" The corners of their quiet listener's mouth curved up from the quick change in atmosphere as his companion growled.

"Why you-"

The shuffle of feet around the corner alerted the group and they froze. The sound got nearer and nearer until they saw a familiar person dressed in her usual wardrobe.

"Hello guys. I hope I'm not interrupting something." Cobalt eyes glanced at each of them and she gave a nod as she addressed them each. "Owl. Mouse. Bickering dog."

"What, you-!"

Ken was about to protest when all of their eyes stared down. In her hand was a large plastic grocery bag of produce, lunch boxes, and festival snacks. Ken spoke for all three of them.

"How…?"

"While you children were having your little banter, I was being productive by stealing food from the houses. I even sat inside one and ate my fill." Her arm stretched out. "This bag is for you guys. Eat up."

The three boys were speechless as they realized that their previous bickering was pointless. It was Rena, not Mukuro, who fed them, and they took the precious bag from her hand. Embarrassment filled all three as they sheepishly averted their eyes and mumbled a form of thank you.

"Oh, what was that? I couldn't quite hear you guys~."

And the day ended with full stomachs, humiliation, and a stronger bond between them all.

* * *

**A/N: A bit of bonding time for our favorite group plus 1! Since it's almost vacation, I do aim to update a bit more, like for this and my other series (sorry I haven't updated that in a LONG ****time!). Hopefully, I plan to also release another short thing about Mukuro (unrelating to this series) and a holiday fic.  
**

**And please note that I have no beta reader and grammatical/mechanic mistakes are possible. **

**But other than that update, best wishes to readers with upcoming exams and projects (because I know I do) and see you next week. Ciao ciao~**


	5. Chapter 4

Missing Something

[4- Through Pranks]

"Let's get this over with," Rena muttered to herself.

She entered the establishment, only to be greeted with a disgusting mix of fragrances and the friendly hello from the cashier. Giving the lady a nod, she maneuvered through the aisles until she spotted the items she wanted and dropped them inside her basket. As she strolled through the store and the time spent inside increased, her foul mood gradually diminished and she hummed a quiet tune. It wasn't until the check-out that the cashier noticed the huge mood change and the tiny upward turn of her customer's lips.

'_I wonder what caused this change,_' the lady wondered. What she didn't know was that the dark-haired customer was thinking of three certain kids and how she was going to prank one of them that night.

* * *

It was silent in the dimmed hotel room when Rena returned. Due to the lack of home equipment that they needed, Rena graciously purchased a deluxe hotel suite for them to enjoy. I mean, the places they were staying at didn't have kitchens or showers! And it wasn't like they _were_ staying in a decent place. While they could sleep in churches and be fed by the kind priests, the only chances that they could clean themselves were during large festivals or the absence of a family from their homes. Other than that, they washed themselves in Nature's bodies of water…without soap. So because Rena (and Chikusa) couldn't stand the filth, they ended up staying in a luxurious suite for a few days.

It was also because she had an imperative job to do, and she wanted to leave the boys alone in a place she knew.

"Is anybody here?" Placing the bags of scented shampoos and soaps near a table, Rena walked around the suite.

Actually, the suite she picked wasn't so bad. It had two king size beds and a gorgeous view of the city skyline, including a mini fridge and an enormous bathtub. Rena didn't mind sharing a bed with Mukuro but Mukuro, being the gentlemen he was, commanded that she sleep on one bed while he allowed his tools to sleep with him on the other (this earned a slight protest from Ken. He didn't want to share a bed with anyone, much less with two people).

A white note on the previous table caught her attention and she picked it up. In a fancy cursive writing, the words said '_Rena, the loyal dog and I are taking a stroll around the hotel and using the available resources to our advantage. If you are looking for us, we will be nearby the pool on top of the roof. Kufufu, see you in a few days. Ciao~._'

The exclusion of one member alerted her and she glanced the room again until she noticed a still body on the sofa. Chikusa, in a clean white shirt and jeans, was peacefully sleeping on the couch, back upwards and one arm dangling off the edge. Rena smirked. '_He's not the level of an assassin yet if he keeps his back wide open._'

Even so, Rena waved her hand and a light blanket appeared from thin air. She gently covered the young boy with it, careful to not wake him up with her movements.

'_And I mean…'_

She erected her body upward and a mischievous grin graced her painted red lips.

'_The perfect time to prank a person is when they're asleep.'_

* * *

Her task took about two days to complete before she was able to return. It could've been done faster, but her mean of transportation was very limited to walking (or stealing a train ticket), and she still had to walk to a very isolated hut in the forest.

Her job: to kill her target. Simple, but he put up a good fight with hidden traps and a massive supply of ammunition for his weapons. He was dead within the 5 minutes she had arrived in. So her time was an unevenly ratio between the time-consuming travel and the 5 minute murder act.

The day was reaching its end as the late afternoon faded into evening. Mr. Sun was slowly making his descent, for his time in the Eastern hemisphere was not yet over; it was still summer. A glance outside the rapidly moving landscape brought a tiny smile to the blue-eyed teen. The atmosphere inside her private seating room and the scenery outside was so…peaceful.

She didn't like it one bit.

As Rena neared her destination, she smiled. Oh, she couldn't wait for their reactions to her prank. She just couldn't wait.

* * *

"Hahahaha!" A classy laugh erupted from her lips, now highlighted pink, from the reactions she was greeted with.

The three boys surrounded her once she opened the door, and the first things she saw were one of them straight out laughing and congratulating her for having the guts to do it, one trying to hold down a muffled snicker, and the last averting his eyes and blushing.

"Well, Chikusa, do you like your nails?" And at her mocking tone his face grew a bright scarlet. She grabbed hold of his hands but the embarrassed male snatched them back. Using her stronger strength to her advantage, she managed to snatch one back and examine her handiwork.

Neatly filed and painted nails, each finger with a different and colorful design, glistered under the light and her smirk grew. The only nail that was coated with a clear coat was his right pinky nail.

"I see that you've been keeping them neat and clean, just like I thought you would." More snickers ("Kufufufuhaha") and snorts ("My God, this is _too_ hilarious!") in the background.

"Yeah neat freak, you sure did keep them clean. Just like a _little girl_." The blush traveled to the poor boy's ears. He hadn't said a word to neither the culprit nor the onlookers.

"I hope you all, and especially you Chikusa, learned a very important lesson: never keep your back exposed. Always be on guard."

"Kufufu, will do Rena."

"HA! I'll definitely keep that in mind! No way am I going to become a sissy!"

The two chuckling boys departed ways, one to the couch and the other to the fridge, and left Rena and Chikusa alone. Rena raised an eyebrow at the quiet boy, who had found the carpet more interesting than their conversation. Sighing in exhaustion, Rena walked passed the frozen male.

Just as she was almost out of earshot, a voice behind her mumbled "Thanks…for cleaning my nails."

Rena smiled. The prank was definitely worth it.

* * *

'_Is everything going well for you so far?_' A masculine voice greeted her in her thoughts. The haughty teen maintained her detached expression as she heard the teasing voice she hadn't heard in years.

'…_.Must I say anything to you?_' She replied, her clear blue orbs focusing on the scene in front of her and her hand grasping a plate of cake. The blonde man chuckled and she could almost imagine the male floating next to her, his charismatic smirk widening as he observed the scene.

The three pre-teens were gobbling down the chocolate dessert that she 'baked' (or used real illusions to form), using the excuse that they hadn't eaten anything sweet in a **long** time. She chuckled when she heard of this, and thus their craving led to the current scene.

"It's better to have strawberries on top of the chocolate, byon!"

"Kufufu, for a dog you're clearly blind and tasteless. Chocolate on chocolate is _divine_."

"Isn't it better to just have chocolate fondue? We can dip apples, strawberries, _and_ chocolate into it."

"NO," both of his companions replied, and they continued arguing their point.

'_I guess not,'_ he concluded, green eyes still on the sugar-high boys who were now fighting over the topic of 'frosting or not.' She chuckled a 'fufufu' kind of laugh.

'_Every thing is perfectly normal. Now why have you appear before me, you poor excuse of an angel?'_

The playful smile disappeared from the angel's lips and a serious frown replaced it. The serious atmosphere could only be felt between the two of them.

'_Are you sure this is the group you choose to guard?'_

She paused, her determined ocean eyes watching them until Mukuro caught her staring. His signature smirk appeared, triumphing in amusement when he caught her in a daze. She smiled at him.

'_**Yes. They are the group I choose to guard until the end of the given time period.**_**" **

A tired sigh from the voice followed. '_If that's what you choose, then I have no objections. Later 'Rena', and don't forget the conditions._'

The last part echoed as the image of the man faded. A blunt voice broke her state of mind_._

"There's no need to stare at us like that, Rena. If you wanted more cake, you could've ask. Though, there's no more cake to go around."

Then Ken's fork slammed down onto the female's plate, and the beast gobbled it down before she could blink.

"Hah!" Ken mocked through a full mouth. "This cake is delicious! Too bad you were distracted and couldn't taste it!"

Her eyes twinkled. "I know it's delicious, I bake it every time. And no worries, I can always bake more."

This earned a dissatisfied grunt from the dirty blonde as his ambush and taunt failed.

"But apparently Ken can't bathe all the time. Isn't that a pity?" Canine eyes narrowed.

"Didn't you hear that too much cleanliness could host lice? Or how it washes away the necessary oils to maintain a face? I guess you didn't hear because your ears are full of wax, byon!"

Glasses gleamed in the light. "Hey, I clean my ears every other day. And of course you would know about that stuff, you've experienced it before. Especially that oily T-zone on your face."

"What?! You OCD freak!" The two companions were at it again. Rena and Mukuro stood on the sidelines, watching with amusement as they bicker over cleanliness.

"Is it not weird to have two young boys quarreling over feminine-like hygiene and be completely normal with it?"

"Kufufu, of course."

"And you!" A finger was directed to Mukuro. "Do something with that _ugly_ hairstyle of yours, you pineapple-hair chocolate-addict freak!" Ken took a stab at Mukuro's cake.

A dark aura was emitted from the blunette and chaos ensured.

Then this weird feeling erupted inside her. '_Huh. I haven't felt like this since..._'

_Between looking at the eye contact her parents lovingly gave each other and her brother's lively expression, the girl smiled again._

'_Since that time._' A rare, genuine smile graced her face as Chikusa's nagging, Ken's yelling, Mukuro's laughter was heard in the background.

'How weird.'

* * *

**AN: And this chapter is proof that we survive the end and are alive! **

**If you have time, just drop a review to let me know what you think, even if it's just "good job" :)**

**A reminder, I don't own KHR, nor do I have a beta reader. Excuse any mistakes I have!**

**And if you guys would excuse me I'm off to finish the next installment of Missing Something, a Christmas fic gift, an Entry Series chapter (*cry* sorry it's taking me so long), and if I can, another reader insert fic!  
**

**Toodles~!**


	6. Chapter 5

Missing Something

[5-Dares]

There were many times she would leave in clothing different from her usual kimonos. It would be a shorter version of her regular kimonos, allowing her easy movement of her legs, but it varied depending on how difficult her mission was. When they asked what exactly she does while she's gone, a twinkle would appear in her eyes.

"A lady's secret," she would smirk before she left them for a certain period of time (which widely ranged from a few hours to a few days). She never told them what she was doing, and they had enough respect (well, Mukuro and Chikusa had respect. Ken was just plain noisy) to not pry. That didn't stop them from imagining the possibilities.

Rena didn't WANT them to know what she was doing because she hated what she did. It reminded her of past memories she didn't want to remember, memories she had locked up deep inside and never wanted to see again. Unfortunately, her life was screwed up and these memories kept haunting her every second of every day.

At the same time, she was grateful. If she had never experienced those horrid memories, then she wouldn't have met Mukuro. Thus she could tolerate living like this. She could only confront and accept her past. Now, she's content with living with the three ex-Estraneo children she picked up.

She smirked at her earlier banter with Ken before she left. Rena stated that she was the one that found them, and they tagged along because they depended on her. Ken (nosily) stated that they stumbled upon a threat and had to keep an eye on her because she could reveal Mukuro-san's whereabouts.

Then she mused. '_Rokudo Mukuro. Such a fitting name. And Chikusa and Ken fitted them so well. I wonder if Fla- I mean, Ken knew the meaning of-'_

She didn't have time to finish as a knife-shaped object rapidly flew past and pierced a tree. Her eyes dangerously narrowed and her mind concentrated.

Time to work.

* * *

It was a normal day for the quad group. Since they didn't have much to do, they lounged around their temporarily home: another hotel. To their dismay, it wasn't another 5-star hotel but a 3-star instead.

It was normal for them to occasionally rent a suite and fully enjoy the resources the resort had to offer. Mukuro, Ken, and Chikusa were frequently seen lounging around in certain areas, enjoying the most that the hotel had to offer (and that was plenty). What Rena mostly did on these days was walk around the grounds, just thinking about things they didn't know.

The young illusionist was curious. Ever since he had entered Rena's mind from their first encounter, Mukuro had been trying to do it again. But there was a problem: he couldn't enter her thoughts anymore, and he didn't know why. After ruling out many possible reasons, he concluded that she had strengthened her mind walls from being breached again.

When the blunette asked her why he was able to do it in the beginning she replied, "Lucky chance. I had lower expectations for everyone around me, and you were just a miscalculation. You're very fortunate to enter my mind, Mukuro."

And he left the question at that.

* * *

"Yo Smiley, I'm bored byon." Rena gave him a raised eyebrow, her ever-present smirk on her lips.

"Smiley? What made you think of _that_ nickname?" She rearranged her position on the occupied couch to something more comfortable. Ken was sprawled over the other half of the couch, and she steadied her hand from tipping her hot drink on herself (she wouldn't mind spilling it on the dog though).

The group was in their (new) suite this weekend, and they had nothing to do. The current housing had limited opportunities for fun, and the pouring rain storming over the city was not helping their boredom.

"Your comebacks are _boring_. Can't you do something with that weird magic shit of yours and create monsters for us to fight? Our skills are getting rusty." She shook her head slowly.

"No. There's no space for us to spar, and even if there was, now is not the right time." He sucked his teeth and continued with his boredom, while her sea-blue eyes glanced up from her teacup to search for the other boys.

Mukuro was in another adjoining room, probably on the other couch reading a new novel. Being exposed to literature after their escape motivated him to increase his knowledge, mainly to benefit himself in the future. They had the basics of reading and writing, but only Mukuro and Chikusa were diligent enough to actually improve; Ken was more unwillingly to do so but he still joined his companions in their little knowledge fest. Rena was content with her high school diploma (even though she was only sixteen. How she got it, they didn't ask) and sometimes she would aid them by leading them to the answer of a question and simply not giving it. Even when there was an answer she didn't know, she would go around it with her words and let them imagine what they think the answer was.

Chikusa was currently rummaging through the stocked fridge, looking for anything to satisfy his picky tastes. Though there was a lack of food given to them during _that time_, Chikusa was still fussy over what he ate. If one were to compare the three ex-Mafiosos sizes together, they would notice that Chikusa was slightly thinner than the other two.

Rena smirked; she had an idea to pass the time.

"So…if it was raining, would it be better if you walk in it, or run in it?"

A delinquent-like eyebrow rose from the canine boy.

"Hah? That's a stupid question! I would obviously run in it, byon!" She took a sip from her refreshment.

"Is that so? Well, it would be easy for you since you're a dog; you could just shake the water off of that unkempt hair of yours." Eyes narrowed.

"My hair is not messy! It just gets in my eyes!" She rolled her eyes elegantly (_'How's that even possible?_' he thought).

"Okay how about this!" He quickly sat up and faced her. "A truth or dare game, byon, you and me. Pretty easy, right?" Her movements paused for a second before she smirk.

"I would never join such an immature game like this, but-" She took another sip of tea, "-this can be an exception."

The thought _'I can find secrets to use against him/her'_ flashed through both of their minds before Ken smirked in turn.

"Truth or dare?" A quick answer.

"Truth."

"Are you ticklish, byon?" He earned a deadpan stare.

"Yes. But I must ask, are you serious or are you being dumb like always?" He frowned, a signal for her to move on.

"You?" She heard the hesitation in his voice as he replied "no" too quickly. Her blue eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Truth or dare, dog?" By now, Ken was used to her name-callings and he confidently replied, "Dare." She smirked even more.

"I command you to tickle Chikusa." He jumped.

"No way! I-"

"Or I'll constantly tease you about your…characteristic." She points to his abdomen. "You weak ticklish dog. And it's a dare; don't back out."

He froze.

Maybe it was her insult that caused him to stop and not attack her that instant. Or maybe it was the fact that Rena could use this quick information to make him a laughing stock within the group. Whatever it was, Ken knew that he had to follow out with the dare; he wasn't a sissy to back out on this easy challenge.

With a slight nod Ken silently tiptoed to Chikusa (who was currently eating at the dining table and watching television) with Rena calmly walking behind him. He put a finger to his lips to indicate silence; Rena gave him a blank stare.

'_Go on,'_ A voice inside his head whispered. _'DO IT.'_

And Ken's hands lunged towards the unsuspecting victim's sides.

…

No response.

"Huh?"

'_Why isn't he laughing? Is he not ticklish, byon?!'_

Chikusa turned around, spoon in hand, and gave the mischievous pair an expressionless stare.

"…What are you doing Ken?" he droned, and the dog quickly hid his hands behind his back.

"W-what does it look like, clean freak? I'm…" he averted his eyes to Rena (_'This damn bitch.')_, who was smiling to herself and sipping her tea, "I'm smoothing out the sides of your shirt! You don't want to wear winkled clothing, now do you byon?!"

The uncomfortable canine continued to receive that look. "Whatever Ken," Chikusa muttered, "Just don't bother me again; I'm watching my favorite channel," and he returned to watch the talk show host gossip about different clothing and their felts.

"_Hahaha, yes, I know! This knitted hat would be great for any hat-wearing lover. I mean, look at this combination!"_

"Yes…knitted sounds good…" Ken heard the boy mumbled.

With a weird look on his face, Ken walked back to the smiling teen. "And you ask me why I picked the name Smiley. You creep." The corners of her mouth only expanded outward more.

"Chikusa." The male nodded his head, listening for the older female's words. "Don't sit too close to the television; you'll ruin your eyes. You don't want to wear glasses now, do you?" He only nodded, but made no move to follow her advice or respond to her question.

"Your turn, byon, stop stalling! Dare, or dare?"

Her hand covered the slight chuckle that escaped. "You really want me to obey your ridiculous commands, don't you?"

"I'll be careful if I was you. You won't be laughing once you hear the dare, byon."

"Proceed." His eyes dazed into a thinking trace until they brighten.

"…Tickle Mukuro." A raised eyebrow. "Don't give me that look, Smiley. Tickle Mukuro."

She sighed, and smiled as she placed her cup down. Her expression clearly stated, _'If you say so,'_ as she waltzed over to her target. Personally, she didn't care about the dare; she only wanted to find a flaw in the dog. Her goal was complete: the dog was ticklish, which was an embarrassing weakness to any prideful person. His selfish commands were just extras she had to fulfill in order to secure her new information.

Mukuro was in the other room, and he was indeed reading a new novel. Instead of taking the sneaky way and ambushing him, Rena walk right up to the side of the couch.

"Have you read this fantastic novel before? I don't believe that such a place exist, where humans, hobbits, and other creatures live. People have such imaginative minds these days."

The blunette knew that she was there, but her unresponsive nature catch his attention. He lowered the book, revealing his curious red-blue eyes just above the top.

"Rena?"

And that's when she attacked him.

"KufufufuhahahahahahahahahaHA HAHAHAHA!" The insane and unexpected laughter grabbed everyone's attention; the sudden volume startled the female (but she didn't show it) and she backed off. Ken waltzed over to the commotion, pointing at the illusionist with one hand and holding his stomach in the other.

"Bhwhawhawha!" He wiped a forming tear from the corner of his eye. "Oh my God, that's too funny! What's with that laugh?!" He continued to laugh some more. Chikusa poked his head around the corner to see the uproar and once seeing Ken laughing his head off, he instantly knew that trouble occurred, and returned to his show. Rena continued to sip her tea, giving one look over to see how her victim was handling the humiliation. He was _fuming _with anger.

Ken was still laughing until he saw a trident lunged at his head. "_Oh sh-!_" He dodged the incoming weapon, hearing it collide and damage the flooring.

"Why did you aim at me?! She was the one who did it!" A finger accusingly pointed in her direction (she had resumed to drinking her tea. '_That bloody smile,_' he scorned), but the blunette didn't care. He materialized his trusty weapon in his grip again.

"And you're the one who childishly dared her."

"What?!" And another round of arguments broke out.

As a result of today's game, the mischievous pair found out one thing: don't tickle Chikusa and (especially) Mukuro.

* * *

**AN: Omg, I updated late! It doesn't help that I didn't pre-written this chapter (like I always do before the end of the week) and school starts in two days. *****Looks at pile of untouched homework***** (- Hey, it's the weekend again! I had intended to update last week, but I didn't update because of parties and homework!) **

**Well, I wanted to wish you guys a happy holiday (it's 2013!) and address one thing. **

**Concerning Rena: Her unknown past, mysterious personality and feelings towards Mukuro are still developing. Slowly but surely, everything will be revealed. **

**Updates will be irregular!**** I'll try and strive for a weekly update but no promises. Since I skipped last week, I'll release the next chapter ASAP. And REVIEW! I'm still trying to improve, so I'll accept any type! **

**And that's all :/ Sorry for the long Author's Note. Below is just a reply to a guest reviewer, and I just wanted to address it. So…bye :D (I wonder how many people read my notes Q.Q)**

**My Reply to MegaMoe :D **

Well, first off, thanks for reviewing and telling me what you think, and sorry for the late reply.

Yes I'll admit that this is my first OC story and that Rena does sound like a Mary Sue, but who isn't? I am pretty certain that every story (even the best) does include a Mary Sue to some extent. I have encountered more fanfics with characters that all think the same things and have the same basic concept (and yes, I have read plenty of them). I am experimenting to not do that same thing, and Rena was created. Yes, this is a romance fic (hence the pairing) and like most romance fics, I understand that the generic symptoms of love, like the rapid heartbeats, are contagious and occur very often. I am pretty sure that in future chapters as Mukuro grows older, Rena would show a bit more emotion and their bond would be unbreakable. She is not perfect; no one is. Still, thanks for telling me she sounds like a Mary Sue; I'm trying to avoid that.

I portray Rena as a mysterious and remarkably strong character in the beginning on purpose. I do admit that she is a difficult protagonist to write about and there are plenty of times when I have writer's block, but I do have a plan laid out (actually, all the way up to the future arc). There's a whole back-story to how she became who she is and I'm just updating her life. I do include some background hints to her life before she met Mukuro, and in due time, when everything falls into place, her whole back-story will be reveal. But as of now, it is too early to categorize Rena when the chapters so far are just character development. I intend to reveal how she interacts with each character. Soon the manga story will kick into place and so will her role in the story.

As for her control over Mukuro (even though he's very strong), all I have to say is that this is only the beginning. In my personal view of Mukuro, I think he's a very tricky character with an unreadable mind. To me, his history and personality is complex and I don't want to trend with the whole generic face that everyone else puts on him. As of now, he is still a child but has gone through so much. There must be a point before meeting Tsuna where he is lost, and he must learn to become the person we first see in the manga. Mukuro must have learn/train himself and gone through more obstacles after the Estraneo. I can only tell you about that pre-Tsuna life for the trio in my own perspective, and that includes an OC.

Again, thanks for reviewing. It does hurt me to read your opinion, but I know that any type of feedback is helpful and I'm sorry if anything I said was, or sounds, offensive.

I really do thank you and appreciate your comment.


	7. Chapter 6

Missing Something

[6- Hiding Secrets]

It was dimly lighted in the Italian bar. Light chatter from customers bounced off the walls, and all of their voices mixed together created the atmosphere of a peaceful saloon. But this bar was not as peaceful as it seemed. It hosted multiple mafia men, both of upper lower classes, and everyone was careful with who was around and what they said. Anything potentially eye-catching could attract unwanted attention, and every man was on guard.

Aside from the common counter table to the side, there were several smaller tables in the open space. An antique jukebox rested against the wall, playing soft jazz music to provide soothing background. Three quarters of the walls were decorated with paintings, Old Italian décor, and a stain glass window or two. The last wall in the back was covered in ripped papers, advertisements for jobs, and more jobs: the Contract Wall.

Sitting at the counter was a pair of two men, one an amateur and the other a senior, both from the same family. They had just arrive to the pub and planned to grab a drink or two after their shift. The older man raised two fingers to the bartender, who was wiping shot glasses.

"Two light ones Johnnie." The bartender nodded and the caller turned towards his companion. His voice was gruff and rough as he spoke. "Since the Boss put me in charge of you, you better keep your mouth shut and listen."

The haughty henchman only smirked in response. "One: Wipe that smile off your face. You're talking to your captain here, and I won't hesitate to do it for you." Instantly the guy's confident demeanor disappeared. "Two: a question. How much _shit _do you know you're getting into?" His underling frowned and his voice, light and joyful, replied.

"What do you mean by that? Isn't being a Mafioso shooting guns and whatnot?" His mentor sighed in annoyance and muttered "God, not another clueless one." A whistle from their left grabbed their attention, and hands reached out to catch the sliding glasses. They both gave a nod to the bartender before returning to their conversation.

Directing a glare to his subordinate, he sneered. "I'm going to repeat myself one more time; _how much shit do you know about the mafia_?"

"I know basically everything about the mafia and famiglias. They had me watch an introductory video all about it. Didn't they do the same for you?"

The older man frowned. "Listen you, stop it with that backtalk; it's gonna get you kill before you even finish your sentence." He lifted his hat and pointed at his head. "See these grey hairs? I've been in this business longer than you think, and I know that if anyone else were your mentor, they would've shot you by now." A loud gulp was heard and he smirked. "Since you know about families already, then I'll talk about something else; hitmen to be exact.

Hitmen are all over Italy, hiding in the shadows or in disguise to finish their job. One could even be your neighbor and you wouldn't even know it. They are known to be self-controlling and are very determine to finish whatever work they accept.

As you should know, some are hired or affiliated with famigia, like ours. We have several newbies and smaller known ones, but they do their own things. They're only present when there are orders from Boss; they don't follow anyone else's commands because Boss was the one who made a contact with them, not anyone else. Others-"

"Isn't there a famous one? What's his name…Reborn?" His superior gave him a disapproval look for the interruption.

"I'll get into details later. Just shut your runny little mouth and use your ears for once." He stayed quiet.

"Others are lone wolves, doing who knows what in their time. No one except them, their contractor, and their victim know the details. Look over there." He pointed his finger to the covered wall. "That there wall. It's the Contract Wall, and is used by almost every hitman in this area. There are several in different pubs, but this one is used more since it's the first. Many people who want a difficult task completed secretly hang their requests there, and many notorious hitmen stroll in, looking for jobs."

The inferior man glanced around the crowd, surveying his surroundings. "Is there one here right now?"

"Shh! Don't casually speak like that." His eyes narrowed. "There are some lesser ones here, but none too major. It's a good omen. For now." Silence washed over them as they took a few sips.

"Now, you mention Reborn, yeah? He's the most famous and strongest hitman in this century. He has another name, but he's known as Reborn ever since his union in the Arcobaleno. A user of multiple hand weapons, mostly his handguns, Reborn is also a strategist in battle. He's very intelligent, first-class, and does not hesitate to wipe out his enemy. A man truly to be feared by others. He's strict, he's ruthless; he's the best out of them all. And he's associated with Vongola."

"Vongola?! _That_ powerful mafia family?"

"No dimwit, a shitty tiny family. What else do you think? He works with Vongola Nono and is very picky about certain things."

"Things like how hot he wants his coffee. Right Joe? Remember that time years ago? He was out for my new co-worker's blood for getting his regular drink wrong," the bartender, 'Johnnie', suddenly said. 'Joe' nodded.

"Yeah, I remember. Almost killed the poor dude until his pregnant wife came running in here begging for forgiveness. It was such a sorry sight." The new member paled a bit. His main reason for joining this organization was to ensure protection for _his_ pregnant wife and child. He certainly didn't want a threat such as Reborn to ruin it all.

"Now, Reborn is a famous hitman that's affiliated with a family. There are several other hitman, affiliated or not, that you must know of." Johnnie and Joe gave each other looks before Johnnie nodded. An okay. Joe leaned into his junior's ear.

"You must be careful of _the MaS_."

"The mass? Never heard of him. Some type of pastor or something?" The newbie was met with silence from his colleagues, their faces whitening at what they were about to tell him.

"No," his companion stated with dread, his drink trembling from his shaking hand. "This killer, this _woman_, is far from being holy. Behind Reborn in popularity, but famous for her inhumaneness, the MaS is as serious as Reborn. They both can clean up their target, but the way they do it is completely different."

The amateur gave the old-timer a raised eyebrow. "A woman? You sure?" The dead stare that he received answered the question.

"I'll tell you, she's a terrible thing. Truly one of the best hit-woman ever." The guy took a gulp of his shot before continuing. "Always takes up the most challenging offers on the Contract Board over there. We never saw her true face before, no matter how many times she may have come here. Johnnie over here," he motioned towards the man behind the counter, "knows when she's here. He gets this certain _feeling_ when she's here. He always glances at anyone who enters, and he knows the distinct signal from her. The signal is a warning; he cautions and supervises everything while she's here. When she is here, you never know what she's going to do."

He paused. The younger man thought about this, and quickly glanced over to Johnnie for confirmation. The bartender nodded.

"There have been many deadly and brutal accounts from the most fortunate survivors. Or should I say unfortunate, because she kills them when they least expect it."

The neophyte stayed silent, letting this entirely new information sink in. He had joined a Famiglia to ensure protection for his family; he didn't know that the underground was _this_ dangerous.

The senior male threw a look to the bartender, both giving each other a nod again; it was a signal to ensure that the person they were talking about was not present. Who knew what the MaS would do if she heard. "According to the bartender, she started a few years ago. Rumor has it that she was a beginner too but that changed. No matter what, she took up any type of job that slowly increased in size and difficulty. Do you know what that means?" The new guy shook his head.

"It doesn't matter if it was spying on a government official or murdering a person's family. While Reborn's picky on certain missions, she wasn't. She did every type there was. Everyone specializes in one area, but she does everything. And, if possible, she would take up many at a time. You remember that big story on the headlines?"

Joe gave his underling a pause to think. "About a few weeks ago, right?"

"Yeah, the one about a family of six that was brutally murdered. The police said that it was a serial killer, but you know what the mafia thinks? We think it's **her** who's the murderer. Scary stuff right there."

The bartender nodded his bald head in understanding and served the talker with another drink. "On the house," his deep voice mumbled. Then he leaned into the two men and shifted his eyes over the bar. "And be careful with the volume. You may never know if she's listening right now. I can't always detect her signal." The two males nodded in silence. When the bartender walked away, the newbie sighed.

"S-so why are we even talking about her right now? Isn't she the super-dangerous-will-kill-anyone type?" Joe only shook his head.

"You have to know about her. Even though her name is not spoken in public (like Reborn is with his reputation, but that's another story), tons of people whisper her name. 'MaS,' they say." A cock of a head in confusion before another sigh was heard. "There are rumors of her violent tortures. Her nickname is MaS for a reason. It means 'M. & S.' She's a masochist because one time, her target-held-hostage managed to send a message out to his men. That crazy guy sent a message! He should've been dead for doing that! Said that she barely eats and sleeps. Sometimes she leaves him for a while, but if not she just watches him all day long. When he ate she would watch him with a smile on her face. Truly creepy. She doesn't even flinch from his shouts, and not even from the kicks he manages to land. She takes the pain in like…like some doll!

Then she caught him sending the message out. He cried out in fear, and he pissed his pants again, the nth time since his kidnapping. She grabbed the phone and read it, then laughed out loud. He was freaked out. She cruelly told him to write down his thoughts and pleads, and her actions on the phone. Once it was sent, well, she killed him. Brutally. His men arrived _two days_ too late. Two days! She was that good in hiding their location. They couldn't tell that the pile of flesh and bones was their boss. She's a sadist for torturing and murdering her targets in the most disturbing way possible. She's…a _monster_."

The talkative man stopped talking and he calmly sat in his seat, drink in hand. The listener was finally got it; this woman was no player and shouldn't be taken lightly. The young man felt a presence to his other side. It was another man, dressed in a black suit and flashy blue tie. _'Blue tie, huh? Rule #30 from the introductory video: don't wear snazzy clothes. With a flashy tie like that, he'll definitely get notice by others. And…when did he sit next to me?'_

The new customer already had a drink in hand, and he brought it to his lips, a smirk, slowly. The neophyte observed the fellow Mafioso out the corner of his eye, unsure of the reason why he was doing so. At the moment Joe was chatting and chuckling with Johnnie, so the henchman continued watching the man. Hardness sharpened the man's eye line, creating an opportunity for him to give an immediate glare quickly. He had a slightly shaven shadow on his face and a few tiny noticeable scars covering his chin: this guy was no amateur like he was.

Once the drink was done, the man began to rise and straighten his jacket.

"You know, flashy ties like that will get you notice." And the novice blinked. What that his voice talking to the unknown man? The man paused for a bit before smirking again, sending a slight shiver to the caller.

'_Oh my God, what have I just done?! I just called out to a random man and criticize his outfit! Who knows what mafia family he's in! He could kill me!_'

The black suit cladded man chuckled, a deep voice emitting a vibration. "Yes, I know that they do. It's a requirement in a compromise with a business partner."

"O-oh. I see." The now timid man only stuttered a small response, a sign to the nameless person that their conversation was done. The mysterious man headed towards the Contract Wall, tore off two high-level jobs, and proceeded towards the door, catching Johnnie's hostility.

"Hey! You there! The one walking out!" The man stopped, hands folding the job requests and placing them in his pocket. Joe and his underling watched with interest while the rest of customers didn't bother with the commotion. They knew that this was a frequent occurrence. "Don't you know the rules? You have to pay for your drink!"

And finally, the unidentified man faced him. Johnnie's face paled, much whiter than previously, before he straighten up. The flashy man walked up to Johnnie's side, and leaned dangerously into his ear.

"I'm surprised you didn't recognize me, ol' Johnnie boy." A finger poked the bartender's side. "We used to see each other all the time. Don't tell me you forgot?" Johnnie frantically shook his head, eyes not daring to look into the man's menacing glare. "Good. Next time, be ready to recognize me. I will not hesitate to…'damage' someone's mind." And with that, the man proceeded out again. The two family members looked on in tense confusion. They weren't able to catch any of the words, but the treacherous aura radiating off of the man was enough to tell them that they shouldn't eavesdrop. At all. And the ghastly expression on Johnnie's face only led them to knot ask any questions unless he was willing to tell.

Apparently, Johnnie was. The bartender, once stoic and serious in the beginning, shakily leaned into the two. "I-I couldn't tell it w-was her! I c-couldn't tell! Oh J-Joe, she's i-improving! I couldn't detect her!" Joe's expression was serious and he held the panicking man by the shoulders.

"Who? Who is it?!" It took Johnnie a few seconds to calm down and stutter out the right words.

"T-th-the…! T-that w-was the MaS!"

The next second they heard a gurgling cry from a fellow man sitting among the crowd. Johnnie and Joe immediately rushed over to see the man twisting on the ground and holding his poor head. "ARRRGGHH, my HEAD! S-Someone STOP them! Please! They're TORTURING my MOTHER!"

The newbie could only sit there watching the scene as he wondered '_So…he-,no __**she**__, was the MaS?_' and how fortunate he was for being spared.

* * *

And, like all the other few times she had visited this place since her union with her group, she was relieved that the other three didn't know this side of her. If possible, she would've like to never let them see her like this, and only let them know of the side they currently knew.

She feared their reactions, especially Mukuro's, if they discover that this _monster_ was among them (didn't they already know? No, not to **that** extent), and thus swore to never let them find out.

At least, not now.

* * *

**AN: **TToTT I wanted to update this sooner and I don't know why, but it was hard to write. Next update will be next Wednesday/Thursday (because I already wrote it beforehand, but refuse to update it instantly for timing purposes ToT). Sorry I lied in the last chapter...I found out that a huge scholarship is due next week and I am rushing to finish it. I have to write EIGHT ESSAYS. EIGHT. Imagine my pain, and the fact that I spent this whole day procrastinating and that I didn't write any of them yet. I love you manga/fanfic, but curse you for stalling me...

And I have an interview next month ToT I don't want to physically talk to people! What am I going to say!? How am I going to act?! I'm too modest to sell myself and tell them reasons why they should take me...and what can I say about myself? 'Yeah, I'm a manga-reading freak that can't think of nothing except manga and fanfic, but you should definitely take this anti-social coffee addict in." Gawd, I'm going to stop my complaints here.

See you guys next weekend (if I live through the week) TToTT


	8. Chapter 7

Missing Something

[7- Planning Ambitions and the Grand Plan]

"Did you know that THEY had a bad reputation?"

He questioned one night. It was quiet in their newly found hideout, an abandon barn house with no roof. It was Ken and Chikusa's turn to forge for food ("It has to be from a clean source," she threatened them before they left), so they were alone underneath the night sky. Millions of stars lit the scenery and for the past few weeks, the moon was their only source of light when the sun went down. Lucky, the weather was thoughtful enough to provide warm air during the summer nights. He stood next to her, following her gaze upwards.

He saw something flashed through her eyes when he asked the question, but he brushed it off; maybe he could dig that information out of their conversation.

"...yes."

"Kufufu, and yet you still worked for them? Are you insane?" He saw her smile amusingly out of the corner of his eye and then it hit him. Resentment rose in his tone as he answered for her.

"You knew _**exactly**_ what they did." It wasn't a question because he was sure she knew. "And yet you still worked for them." She mimicked his signature laugh.

"No, I worked there because I needed the pay; the salary was a lot more than you think. And I knew what they did but frankly it was their business and not mine. Therefore, I wasn't involved in the trouble they caused."

Imagining the grim expression on his face, she spoke again with the intention of drawing out his anger. It was better to have him release his thoughts now than have him explode later. And anyways, her last two sentences sounded (_were_) false to an extent. Best to drag out his vengeance towards the Estraneo than have him converge it onto something else.

"It's not their fault," she lied even more. "They weren't thinking."

The murderous aura and tension rapidly built up in the air around him. She could imagine his hands gripping in irritation as he tried not to physically misbehave; it wouldn't be civil of him to cave into such a sadistically thought (but that'll soon change).

"It's all their fault," he started. "No, it's _**everybody's**_ fault! Every living person is just a walking body filled with negative emotions, and all the positive energy that people have is just a mask MADE by their opposite! Everyone's a hypocrite, and they only put on this façade to trick people for their own benefit! They were lying scumbags that _experimented_ on their own family and yet you _defend_ them!"

"Mukuro, understand that-"

"What is there to understand?! The world is an insignificant and disgusting place as it is now. People are greedy, jealous, and ruthless human beings that don't take things for granted. They're worthless! Just like those Estraneo that took advantage of their ugly emotions to kill multiple people! That's why I've come up with a plan: to cleanse this world and create a better one, starting with the mafia!"

Only his deep breaths were heard, his body facing her. She lowered her gaze to the straw covered ground.

"Not all the mafia are bad," she interjected again, but his grave voice stopped her.

"The Mafia shouldn't have existed in the first place. You've heard of the Vongola Famiglia; they started off as an organization to help the poor, the common people. And what happened to them now? What happened to all of the Mafia Famiglias now?! They're all corrupted! Filthy, selfish bastards that only care about fame, money, and power. All of these things drove them to taint the term 'mafia' even more with secrecy and lies!"

She was silent as she pondered how to respond. "This is the mafia. Sometimes they are saviors to people, and other times they have no mercy." Her voice softened and she glanced at the broken wall; it reminded her of a cracked glass pane struck by an object, but was unfortunate enough to not break and end its hideous appearance and misery. She finally rested her eyes in him. "In these cases, the Famiglia must make sacrifices. They had to, in order to achieve recognition among others."

He gritted his teeth. "They're _all_ selfish, no matter what. That's why I'll take them on."

"You alone cannot change the ways of the mafia. Their greed and obsession with power will not fade away in a few generations; it dates back to the time when they appeared."

"But I don't plan to CHANGE it! It would be impossible to do that; what they did in the beginning is the same as what they do now, and this won't change in the future! No, I already said it before, instead of changing the world and mafia, I plan to purify it by destroying it!"

He listened closely to hear her disbelief, but instead he heard a chuckle. The chuckle turned into slight laughter, causing him to insanely smirk as she responded.

"You? Destroy it? Please, persuade me with your perfect plan on how to do so."

His crazy smirk widened, like a child being praised for his accomplishment, and he rushed to his 'bed' (a straw bed, mind you) before returning with a box and sitting next to her. Leaning towards her with that grin, he opened the lid.

"Do you remember THESE?"

She stared. Once her mind put the pieces of his plan together, she laughed.

Of course. Possession bullets.

* * *

**AN: And this means that the storyline is approaching :) Don't worry, I don't plan to rush it so much, and instead want to concentrate on certain aspects before their arrival in Namimori. **

**Aside from that, I'll just inform you guys why I updated early this week! I had to finish **_**eight**_** essays in two days (a result from major procrastination) and finally finished it Wednesday! Imagine the 100 lbs. stressful weight being lifted off my shoulders! I felt so happy that I wanted to update early (and don't worry again, I still plan to post a new chapter this Saturday). Plus, I had already finished his chapter months ago during the story's outlining. You can't believe how long I wanted to release this :D Well, see you guys later~**


	9. Chapter 8

Missing Something

[8- Extracting Personal Skills]

Mukuro felt the sharp point of a feminine shoe stab him in the stomach, and he confusingly grunted.

Where was he? His mind was in disarray as he just woken up, trying to crack open an eye and take a glimpse of his unknown surroundings. Key word, _tried_. An unbearable sleepiness was whispering in his ear to ignore the stinging pain and drift into sleep. His curiosity wouldn't allow this; this scene was too familiar to him. He remembered now. There were many times when he woke to uncertainty, mainly due to the fact that _they_ would take him from his cell as he slept and immediately strap him to an icy metal table for their own hideous projects. The veteran calmly reflected over his situation.

'_I'm lying on a hard cold ground. Wet. From the gritty texture on my cheek, it's most likely dirt. My hands…tied with a heavy-duty rope, and unfortunately, it's not possible to cut or untie by myself. My feet are in the same position. The fact that I'm lying on my stomach, hands tied on my back means…absolutely nothing. I'm stuck for the time being, and whoever my capturer is, she is standing above me. The slight wind is moving freely in this space: possibly an open space with no one around. No urban noises are heard, even though we were lounging in a town's inn. I assume Ken and Chikusa…are breathing evenly nearby.'_

"Bitch, where are we? Did you finally betray us?!"

'_Or not. Context clues…the word 'bitch' coming out of Ken's annoying mouth…could only mean Rena. Her? Betraying us?'_

Finally, curiosity got ahold of him and he pried his orbs open. He wasn't surprised to see himself in his presume position with Ken and Chikusa tied up in the same way. They were in a fairly large wooden (and definitely abandoned) warehouse, mainly empty except for the few scattered boxes and materials here and there littering the perimeter, and he was positively sure that rat droppings could be found in the corners. Judging from the bright yellow rays through the gaping hole in the ceiling, he assumed that they were transported to their current location while they were slumbering, and were injected with a sleeping serum to extend their sleeping period. The brightness peeking from the ceiling holes felt close to noon, maybe a little bit after, and his stomach quietly grumbled in agreement.

Rena stood in the middle of the dirt space, one of her shorter kimonos draped securely around her body. The light pink sakura design paled in contrast to the darker pink obi around her waist and her gleeful lips. And of course, below where she stood were the three bodies, all squirming to escape the hand-tied ropes.

"Listen Dog, I have brought you guys here for a reason."

'_But everything so far seems like enough evidence to support Ken's claim. We've been tricked.'_

Mukuro frowned, "There was no need to inject us unconscious and hold us for ransom like this." Her shoe kicked the nearest body, Chikusa in this case, and the victim hissed.

"Hoho, why not so? This is the _perfect_ scenario that I always dreamed. A group of young not-so-innocent preteens tied up beneath my dainty little feet." As the confidently standing teen said this, an illusion of a knife formed above her left side. Mukuro kept a poker face as he did so, and Ken couldn't help but grimace in false response. She showed no signs of noticing and continued her self-praise. "I'm a genius. I always was, ever since…well, always. Can't you imagine all the exciting possibilities I have to muddle around with you all?"

And it lunged towards her. She didn't dodge, but her eyes definitely glanced at it. The innocuous weapon passed through the captor, leaving her unharmed, and they gazed at her in disbelief. The blunette was certain that his target saw the illusionary weapon and her mind should've conjured it as a real threat. So far, his tricks haven't been working on the female.

"And there's no need to attack me with petty pathetic illusions. Your powers won't work on me that easily Mukuro, and it never had since the beginning. I can see through them. And just to let you guys know, I'll untie the ropes…now." She snapped her fingers and instantly finding the ropes loose the pre-teens untied themselves.

Ken was the first to react and he lunged his turned ape-like body towards her. She easily dodged the attack, only for her back to be exposed to an on-slaughter of flying needles. A bent of her knees allowed her to escape the missiles, and she easily seized a plunging trident aiming her face. The weapons backed away, only to attack her in another all-offensive assault.

"Can you guys please calm down?" Duck. "I'll explain my reason for kidnapping you guys." Dodge.

In their fighting positions, the three males surrounded her, weapons ready to strike. "Talk." Mukuro commanded.

"Let's start from the beginning. Ken, you instantly went into offense mode with no strategy; not good. The oncoming needles from behind were devious, but too slow in a trained assassin's eyes. The knife: you need to increase your usage of illusions in order to strengthen them. Any fighter can dodge them because they're too simple. And also-"

"Get to the point."

An upward motion of her pink lips. "What I'm saying is that you guys need development, an abundance of training and experience. Your current states are not strong enough to sustain yourself in the underground world."

She stared straight at Mukuro. "Especially if you plan to execute that level of a scheme. You must be insane, going against the most powerful Famiglias in the mafia." A chuckle escaped her. "But then again, I must be insane for aiding you. That's why I must brutally kidnap you: it was to create a resenting reason for attacking me. I must assess your current skills and hone them as much as I can before the plan starts."

The young leader was thinking. "Kufufu, you want to train us? There was no 'want' from the beginning. I had picked you up for several purposes and you're simply fulfilling one now." He leaned against his trident defenselessly, "Your main purpose was to be our sparring partner, so don't go around saying you 'want'."

"And you have no authority to order me around when you don't even have enough power to land a hit on me." Ken's slight mumble of "Ouch, burn," provided background noise.

"I may have chosen to tag along for my own purpose, but I am not one to be pushed around like that. A simple request would be sufficient enough for me to accept it."

The bluenette illusionist chuckled. "Then train us?"

"No."

Chikusa's "Wwhhaaatt" and Ken's "This liar" echoed within the warehouse. Mukuro only produced a raised eyebrow at her contradicting words.

"I'm not accepting your request, mainly because I _choose_ to train you pitiful fools." Arms wide open, she welcomed, "What are you waiting for? _Come at me._"

They thought for a moment before resuming their previous positions.

"You better not cry when we seriously hurt you, byon," And they attacked.

* * *

"What happen to 'seriously murdering' me?" Rena taunted as she leaned against the stolen trident.

All three offenders were on their knees, panting from the extensive workout. They were too tired (and most likely _humiliated_) to respond. Wild thoughts jumped in their minds. _'Were we __that__ weak? So impotent to not inflict a scratch on her? So powerless? Our stamina didn't last ten minutes!'_

One dreaded thought flashed through their minds. '_Are we so weak that even the experiments didn't help us?!'_ And instantly they regretted thinking of that. Rena scanned over the dejected expressions of her underlings, and a little flower of delight bloomed inside. Their depressed auras overflowed the atmosphere and she giggled. The feeling of causing such an emotion from haughty pre-teens…_delightful_.

"Being coped up in an isolated building with the lack of sunlight, nourishment, and freedom can build up. Your bodies may be modified to wield your powers, but it's not enough. Regular stamina and strength from daily training are essential to improving, and so far the strenuous activities on your list were the 'Great Escape' and the occasional stealing of necessities." A thin line of dismayed formed on the leader's lips while one of his followers growled.

"What would you know byon?! You didn't go through the stuff we did, and while we were out killing _them_, you were sitting on your little ass smiling like some creep!" She only smirked. _He would be thinking twice about that sentence if he knew my past. Ignorant fool._

His black-haired friend nodded. "Even though you have helped us a lot so far, don't think you can lead us into your dirty clutches Rena. We solely follow Mukuro-san for a reason."

"Kufufufu," she mimicked, causing the original to frown, "that's the fighting spirit. I don't comprehend the reason why you boys are so against my helping hand. Like your leader said, I'm only here for my unidentified reason and your usage. In the future I presume I'll be out of your unkempt hair and gone from your lives."

"You better," the doggish boy mumbled. And of course, none of the males made any connection. There were always hints close to the partially real truth. If only they dug deeper.

"This is troublesome…what's your point?"

"Are you ready? I'm going to serve my purpose now, so prepare yourself. I have the necessary data. The start of our onerous training begins…now."

And without warning, she lunged herself forward.

* * *

**AN: This took me awhile to finish! I really have nothing to say, except that updates may be erratic from now on (didn't I say that before?). So, until then my lovely readers~ **

**Below is just my reply to a guest who reviewed but didn't bother using their actual username (and if you can't tell from my tone, I'm going to get sassy below because seriously? Have the balls to review with your username and not hide behind 'guest').**

**My Reply to Guest (Reviewed on 1-18-2013)**

**Thanks for your review and honestly telling me what you think. It does hurt me to read your opinion, but I know that any type of feedback is helpful and I'm going to apologize beforehand if anything I say below is offensive (and I'm slightly swearing. Hey, this is a T-rated fic).**

**I'm sorry if my response will sound like I'm putting all the blame on you but you went too far with the lower half of your review. I understand that you targeted my stories and how I write because yes, I know I need improvement, but the fact that you targeted me as a **_**person**_**…that's unacceptable. **

**I do appreciate my previous harsh criticism on my protagonist Rena for being unrealistic, by a guest who so kindly mentioned their username with their review. You, on the other hand, are hiding behind what FFN puts as 'guest' and are not only expressing your views on my fic (which I'm actually glad to read because any type of help is needed), but you are also attacking myself as a writer. Did you ever consider an author's feelings when writing reviews? I'm sure you don't because I know for ****certain**** that you could've worded that more maturely. **

**Did you know the effects of your review to me? The first thing I did that morning was opened my email and read your review. Personally, you ruined my mood for the rest of the day (scratch that, rest of the **_**week**_**) and I felt absolutely horrible, so horrible that I talked to my teacher about it (and I didn't mention any details, I only said that one of my works was harshly criticize by a stranger). **

**You know what he said? He said "You weigh a **_**stranger's**_** comment on your work more than my own? I think your art/writing works are outstanding. Fuck them and what they say.**

"**Look at the Harry Potter series. It has tons of praises but also tons of backlashes. People say that J.K. Rowling's work is total bullshit, and it's the most absolute generic trashy fantasy series ever. Look at her now. Her work has won medals, awards, and recognition, and earned her millions of dollars from both film and printed media. Does she give a fuck about what they say? No."**

**He continued by saying that publishing your work on an online media is terrifying, but I should be happy that I elicited something from you, to the point that you took your own fucking time to write and leave a review.**

**I'm going to take his words to heart because I'm beaming with joy and confidence that I was able to provoke something out of you. I mean, isn't that the goal of a writer? To make their readers feel something?**

**As a response to your last sentence, I'm NOT going to change something about myself because I ****love**** myself. I'll change the way I write and how this fic goes, but anything concerning myself does not concern you, a random stranger who I don't even know the username of. Maybe you should reflect over the things you said and change the way you review stuff, no?**


End file.
